When to pierce your child's ears?

[PrincessBabyCat]

If you have kids with pierced ears when did you pierce them? Did it cause any problems?

We want to pierce our baby's ears maybe at 4 months so she doesn't play with the earrings and cause an infection, and has had a couple rounds of vaccines.

Doctors have recommended waiting until at least a month, but it might be difficult if she can't hold her head up. We're currently playing with the pros and cons of when to do it. I had them done at 4 years old but I kept fidgeting with them and it caused some problems, my cousins that did it at 6 months were all fine.

I'm not particularly interested in a moral debate on this, more a practical weigh in. Thanks. :)

Nail on the head to previous poster. Its about parental choice.

Over here we have decided it will be the summer between primary and secondary school. Seems reasonable. For me in Canada that was age 13. For the DDs here in London it will be aged 11.

OP I think you are getting a rough ride here. I have friends (mostly Latin American, Puerto Rican, etc) who all pierced their babies' ears incredibly early and could not understand the fuss. While I don't agree with it, I think there are worse things you could do to your child. If you ask me, should I do it, I would say no. If you ask me, when should I do it, I think your logic of "after jabs" is good. Holding head up? Not sure - do you mean so that she could turn her head easily if uncomfortable?

It also occurs to me that it is one extra thing for you to do, to look after, one more thing that needs attention and that could go wrong. For me, I struggled a lot with the new baby stage and adding anything to my plate over and above the bare necessities would have been a nightmare.

Whats wrong with a nice necklace or locket for special occasions. My nieces have gorgeous silver lockets & bangles for 'dressy' ocassions.

id have loved diamond earrings for my 16th/18th. I sure as hell wouldn't have appreciated them as a 5 year old.

Abusive, huh. I need to think about that.

Plus I also like Honeydragons picture, so I am just all over the place this evening.

Duh pancakes! Of course i would know different. I hve access to tv, newspapers, the internet. Do you think people never change their behaviour or views throughout their lives?

I mean,

Example- i was brought up catholic. Do i still believe and practise? Do i fuck.

Its my family's culture to punch holes in their babies too...like fuck am I going to allow it to happen though. If I want something sparkly to accessorise me I will get a new handbag...not abuse my child.

Sorry mrsmaturin my daughter has her ears pierced. Do I not take care of my child? Am I in fact a bad mother in your eyes because I chose to do something you deem abusive? Self obsessed? What utter tosh. Granted the op's comment re diamond earrings has really got people steaming but she is only referring to her childhood and her experience of life.

Yourbeingasillybilly your example gave me a good giggle.might i say ditto! Yes they change but only with exposure to external factors and age do views change. Alot do not. If it is just the done thing. We will differ in views and that will not change. :)

Pancakes - I have a teenager with two piercings per ear. Done at her choice when she was old enough to decide and care for the piercings. If your child was of an age to understand the risks and consequences then no piercing is not abusive. If you've pierced the ears of a child too young to meaningfully engage then yes I think that's bad mothering.

Well OP clearly has access to alternative views. Internet at the very least so maybe she'll start thinking about why her culture insists on hurting children.

A bit naive I think to say that a baby won't pull and tug on their ears but they will when they're older..... Surely pulling and tugging on ears is one of the key signs that a baby is this. If I had pierced my ds's ears at 6 months I dread to think of the discomfort it would have caused him when he pulls at his little ears to tell me he's tired.

Don't do it... Simple as!

I think when the child is old enough to understand that it will hurt and still want it done, imo that would be from about 10 yrs onwards.

My dd is 8yo and is adamant she will never have her ears pierced, she is not brave and is genuinely bemused that anyone would want to have this done voluntarily.

Why you would want to inflict unnecessary pain on your perfect baby is beyond me, using culture as a way of justifying it makes me feel a bit queasy tbh.

*tired.... Not this!!!

^ what Evans said.

And also my friends 9yo dd recently had her ears done and ended up in a&e with a horrendous infection, on a baby I am guessing potentially it could be very dangerous if they got infected.

Pancakes - I'm quite sure you take care of your child in other aspects of life, but many people (including me) think that piercings before a child has had the opportunity to express their wishes on the subject is out of order.

I think it is child abuse, and I cannot understand why it is allowed under an age where the young person is not able to make the decision for themselves.

We all know she's going to do it anyway, don't we?

Girliefriend - you're right. Blood stream infection from piercings - even ones done in naice shops hospitalises plenty of people. Children with congenital heart defects cannot have piercings because of this risk. The op's child is so young that frankly she doesn't know if her child has a CHD or not. Many won't be diagnosed till later in babyhood as they do NOT all show up on scans. Just another reason to leave your kids ears alone.

My own daughter has chosen to have some body piercings in her teenage years. She was allowed to have her ears done (first hole) at age 13 or 14 I think. She has since had several other piercings and tattoes. I didn't approve, but at her teenage/young adult age, that was her choice entirely. Piercing a baby is wrong, totally wrong

I think starting this thread with a proviso of no moral debate about it, is naive at best and utter goady bollocks at worst.

Your going to do it anyway op so why ask?

The sooner this country bans it for under 11/12 the better.

(Tired and grumpy)

Just ignore all those on their high horses. The silly over-dramatic posts are laughable - it's an ear piercing for crying out loud. I had mine done as a toddler, never bothered me in the slightest.

I'll probably do the same for my own daughter at 3-4 years of age.

It looks hideous as well as the mutilation issue.